Independent Supported Living and Disabilities Ltd Also known as ISLAD

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

Well-led – this means we looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture. At our last assessment we rated this key question requires improvement. At this assessment the rating has changed to good. This meant the service was consistently managed and well-led. Leaders and the culture they created promoted high-quality, person-centred care.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider had a shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities. People and their relatives shared positive feedback about the staff team’s attitude and culture of the service. The provider’s management team had unanimous priorities for the service and were dedicated to making further improvements to ensure people were at the centre of their support and could live the lives they wanted, being supported to stay safe and well. The provider undertook a range of actions since the last assessment, including increased support and training for staff which had improved the culture of the staff team and people’s experiences of support.

The provider had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty. People and their relatives knew the management team and spoke positively about them. Staff told us managers were approachable, supportive and encouraged good teamwork. A staff member commented, “[The service] is a very friendly place, [managers] are very open to talk to, everyone is very welcoming.” The service governance structures were reviewed, and all staff were included in making improvements to the service.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. Staff told us they were encouraged to speak up and share any concerns, suggestions and ideas they had. A staff member said, “[The managers] are approachable. [The registered manager] encourages us to speak to her in the event we see any challenges, even amongst our colleagues. She encourages us to come to her and there is a number of avenues to raise any concerns, she gives us opportunities to do so.” The provider had good systems in place to enable staff to speak up when needed.

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who worked for them. Staff told us they felt valued and respected. The provider had appropriate systems and processes in place to ensure staff were treated in line with equality and diversity principles.

The provider had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate. The registered manager, deputy managers and team leaders had clearly divided responsibilities for checks and audits of key areas of the safety and quality of the service. There were robust systems in place to ensure support and good oversight of the service on a day-to-day basis. The registered manager completed regular audits of the service, including, for example, people’s individual care, health and safety, fire safety, infection prevention and control, incidents, accidents and concerns. The provider continued to support the management team with regular quality assurance visits and checks.

The provider understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services worked seamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement. Staff worked well as a team and with people and their relatives which was echoed in their feedback. The provider worked with local partners, people’s landlord and healthcare professionals. The service worked well with the local authority on addressing improvement needs since the last assessment. A social care professional working with the service for the past year commented, “With strengthened leadership, a more engaged and trained staff team, and enhanced quality assurance systems, the service is now on a clear path of sustained improvement. Continued efforts are needed to resolve environmental challenges, but the overall outcome is positive and demonstrates a commitment to high-quality, person-centred care.”

The provider focused on continuous learning and improvement across the organisation. They encouraged delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. The registered manager continued to monitor completion of the service improvement plan and was supported by the provider to do so. There was evidence of significant progress made since last inspection in relation to the quality and safety of people’s individual care, meeting regulatory requirements, and the overall ethos and approach to providing support to people in line with best practice guidance. For example, significant improvements were made in how people’s communication support needs were assessed and met by staff which reduced the frequency of people becoming anxious and upset and improved their ability to express themselves on a day-to-day basis. Staff continued to discuss with people what they wanted and liked to do, and the service sought links with partners in their local area to offer different opportunities to people.A social care professional involved with the service since our last inspection commented, “The service responded positively and demonstrated a proactive and transparent approach to communication and improvement planning. Noticeable improvements have occurred across multiple areas.”